The Expanse digital premiere is available NOW!

[RAMA]

https://www.facebook.com/ExpanseSyfy/

Early 46 minute release? What sort of marketing is this??? Haven't watched it yet. All I can say is they must be very confident.

 

[Corran Horn]

Just started reading the first book.

 

[The Wormhole]

This sort of thing isn't unprecedented. Granted, nearly a month early is pushing it a little. I guess I'll post a spoiler coded review here.

Spoiler: my thoughts

Anyhoo, not bad. For the most part a faithful adaptation. I get they're introducing Avasarala early, and as predicted she's no where near as profane as she is in the books. Making Holden the Canterbury's acting XO seems an odd change given it'll likely have no impact on the direction the story ultimately ends up.

My main problem at the moment is that it pretty much relies on having knowledge of the books to make sense of. If you have read the books, you'll absolutely jizz your pants over the show. If you haven't read the books, you'll probably feel a bit lost.

 

[JD]

I'm not sure what the big deal about the early release it. Several other shows have done this in the past couple years.
As for episode, I really enjoyed it. It seems like a really good adaptation so far. It's not exactly word for word from the book, but it's still really close. It was perfect timing to, because this ended just a tiny bit ahead of where I am in the book.
So have they moved Avasarala's story forward from the second book, or is it a new story that leads into her book 2 story?

 

[tenmei]

Spoiler: my thoughts

Anyhoo, not bad. For the most part a faithful adaptation. I get they're introducing Avasarala early, and as predicted she's no where near as profane as she is in the books. Making Holden the Canterbury's acting XO seems an odd change given it'll likely have no impact on the direction the story ultimately ends up.

My main problem at the moment is that it pretty much relies on having knowledge of the books to make sense of. If you have read the books, you'll absolutely jizz your pants over the show. If you haven't read the books, you'll probably feel a bit lost.

Spoiler: Your Thoughts

I'm not sure why you think it relies on knowledge of the books to make sense of - the extensive voice over at the beginning explains the basic set-up of the Belters antagonism, and the 'rolling script' gives the set-up of the universe. I think that it's pretty accesible to those who haven't read the book - no less than something like GoT, for example.

Re: Holden being Second Officer of the Cant and not the XO out of the gate. Am assuming this is down to Strait only being 29 which would make the experience he's supposed to have had prior to the series a little hard to swallow - it seemed a little far fetched in the novel to have had several years of military service, then a handful of tours on the Cant and being XO. I guess him only being 2O makes it a little more palatable.

 

[spinnerlys]

So have they moved Avasarala's story forward from the second book, or is it a new story that leads into her book 2 story?

They introduced her character early, as she was introduced in the second book, with two other characters (which have not yet been seen, though it would not make sense to have them introduced early too).
But it seems like they gave her a new storyline, as I cannot remember her interrogating the Belter in the book (but I also have not read the second book till the end yet).

 

[The Wormhole]

Spoiler: my thoughts

Anyhoo, not bad. For the most part a faithful adaptation. I get they're introducing Avasarala early, and as predicted she's no where near as profane as she is in the books. Making Holden the Canterbury's acting XO seems an odd change given it'll likely have no impact on the direction the story ultimately ends up.

My main problem at the moment is that it pretty much relies on having knowledge of the books to make sense of. If you have read the books, you'll absolutely jizz your pants over the show. If you haven't read the books, you'll probably feel a bit lost.

Spoiler: Your Thoughts

I'm not sure why you think it relies on knowledge of the books to make sense of - the extensive voice over at the beginning explains the basic set-up of the Belters antagonism, and the 'rolling script' gives the set-up of the universe. I think that it's pretty accesible to those who haven't read the book - no less than something like GoT, for example.

Re: Holden being Second Officer of the Cant and not the XO out of the gate. Am assuming this is down to Strait only being 29 which would make the experience he's supposed to have had prior to the series a little hard to swallow - it seemed a little far fetched in the novel to have had several years of military service, then a handful of tours on the Cant and being XO. I guess him only being 2O makes it a little more palatable.

Spoiler: I wonder if Spoiler Coding this is really necessary?

I think it has more to do with the fact the episode has a lot of info dump, if you're new to the universe and setting it might seem overwhelming. Maybe that's just me. I don't know. It'll be interesting to see when this show airs just how many who haven't read the books it attracts and how many stick with it.

As for Holden's life experience being "far fetched" the books never really made it clear how old he is supposed to be. Indeed, fantasy casting on other websites back before the show was announced always chose actors in their 30s or 40s to play him, so I guess others got the impression he was meant to be older too.

Actually, an issue I've had with the casting announcements is that a lot of the actors are younger than the characters seemed in the novels. Granted, the show is not required to be a slavish representation of the novels, changes are expected as is the norm for an adaptation. Still, this is something that gets to me all the same.

So have they moved Avasarala's story forward from the second book, or is it a new story that leads into her book 2 story?

They introduced her character early, as she was introduced in the second book, with two other characters (which have not yet been seen, though it would not make sense to have them introduced early too).
But it seems like they gave her a new storyline, as I cannot remember her interrogating the Belter in the book (but I also have not read the second book till the end yet).

Avasarala's storyline is indeed newly created for the show.

 

[Kelthaz]

I'm not sure how I felt about that episode. I think I need to see a few more episodes before I can form an opinion.

 

[Brainsucker]

I have some bad experience when comparing the novel to the movie. For example, when I read "Timeline", a novel by Michael Crichton and then watch the movie, and some other novel that adapted to the big screens. Because the feel is different.

So now I have my new way to enjoy a show. When I've read the novel, I'll forgot them and enjoy the TV / show as what it presence. Because if not, I wll be angry and blame the producer for the ugly TV / Movie (although the show itself is actually good and entertaining). It is the same as this show. I'll try my hardest to forget what I read, so I can enjoyed this show without any problem

 

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

I thought the pilot was brilliant. The sci-fi was apparent without being explained away with mountains of tech jargon. The parallel stories are engaging without being confusing.

And the sets and EFXs...beautiful. After Killjoys and Dark Matter, it's so refreshing to watch a space show and not see the seams on blatant display.

I hope this is a successful show for the network.

 

[Reverend]

Wow this show *really* wants to be the next 'Battlestar Galactica' doesn't it? Almost adorable really, so it's rather unfortunate that it's pretty damn incoherent, dotting around between characters, none of which are really compelling enough to hook you in.
After the first episode, I can't name a single character and that's never a good sign.

 

[tenmei]

Wow this show *really* wants to be the next 'Battlestar Galactica' doesn't it? Almost adorable really, so it's rather unfortunate that it's pretty damn incoherent, dotting around between characters, none of which are really compelling enough to hook you in.
After the first episode, I can't name a single character and that's never a good sign.

To be fair, I was the same after the pilot of Game of Thrones. I almost gave up on it after the first episode - and look at the powerhouse that's become.

I also hope the designs of the ship interiors when we eventually get to the Donninger and the Rocinante look as awesome as the Canterbury and the Knight.

 

[The Wormhole]

Wow this show *really* wants to be the next 'Battlestar Galactica' doesn't it?

I'm not sure I'd go that far. It is, however, another Firefly derivative, like so many other SyFy shows these days. In fact, I thought that about the novels too.

After the first episode, I can't name a single character and that's never a good sign.

That's one of the things where I felt it's necessary to be familiar with the books. Then again, how many characters are even referred to by name in this episode? Holden, Miller, and Julie Mao are the ones whose names are firmly established in dialogue. Naomi and Alex's names are only spoken once, I think. Amos just has his name on his uniform's nametag. I don't think Avasarala is referred to by name in the episode.

 

[tenmei]

The one thing that threw me having read the books is that - isn't Naomi supposed to be a Belter, but she's shorter than Holden. Unless Holden is an exceptionally tall Earther and Naomi an exceptionally short Belter.

 

[The Wormhole]

The one thing that threw me having read the books is that - isn't Naomi supposed to be a Belter, but she's shorter than Holden. Unless Holden is an exceptionally tall Earther and Naomi an exceptionally short Belter.

The James SA Corey guy did say in their blog they were willing to make changes to the characters if it meant getting the right person cast for the role as opposed to being an accurate depiction of the character in the books.

I understand that mentality and agree with it. That said, I still feel most of them are too young. In particular, the guy who'll be playing Fred Johnson seems a couple decades younger than I imagined the character in the books. But maybe I'm just being picky.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

iTunes has the first episode for free HD download
Dulcinea
also on YouTube
THE EXPANSE (Full Episode) | The Search Begins from "Dulcinea" | Syfy

 

[JD]

I have some bad experience when comparing the novel to the movie. For example, when I read "Timeline", a novel by Michael Crichton and then watch the movie, and some other novel that adapted to the big screens. Because the feel is different.

So now I have my new way to enjoy a show. When I've read the novel, I'll forgot them and enjoy the TV / show as what it presence. Because if not, I wll be angry and blame the producer for the ugly TV / Movie (although the show itself is actually good and entertaining). It is the same as this show. I'll try my hardest to forget what I read, so I can enjoyed this show without any problem

Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank aka James SA Corey are part of the show's writing staff, so this shouldn't diverge to far from the books.

 

[Owain Taggart]

While reading the book, I pictured Holden to at least be middle age, just by way of his talking. He didn't strike me as young like the person they cast.

 

[sojourner]

Just watched this today. Very well done. Surprisingly well done for SyFy. I look forward to seeing the rest of it.

 

[Skywalker]

While reading the book, I pictured Holden to at least be middle age, just by way of his talking. He didn't strike me as young like the person they cast.

I always envisioned Holden being not much older than his early thirties. He served seven years in Earth's navy and then (when Leviathan Wakes begins) five years as an ice hauler, so assuming he enlisted when he reached adulthood to get off of the overpopulated Earth then he'd be right around 30. He was also referred to several times as being kind of 'pretty.' So the 29-year-old Steven Strait seems like a pretty good casting choice to me.

If anything, I feel like the actor they chose to play Amos is too young. Now he I pictured being around middle age. I do love that Alex still has the Texan drawl he had in the books, though. I was worried they'd drop that.